November 2023
Attendance Matters!
Please remember that every moment of learning counts for your child. It's important for children to be at school on time each day. Please let Mrs. Gates or Mrs. Tremain know how we can help you and your child with this essential task.
These norms of behavior are how we adults interact at Donlon . If you have any questions about our norms, please reach out to Janet Gates or Danielle Tremain, your Donlon administrators.
Donlon's Meeting Norms:
Stay student focused.
Assume positive intentions.
Be open to ideas.
Communicate clearly and succinctly.
Ask and welcome questions for clarification.
Allow others to complete thoughts before responding.
Listen carefully for understanding, and respect other’s views.
Honor time limits.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Wednesday, November 1: NO SCHOOL - Staff Development Day
Thursday, November 9: PUSD School Board Meeting, 6:00pm
Friday, November 10: NO SCHOOL - Veterans Day
Sunday, November 12: Diwali, Festival of Lights
Monday, November 13: 4th & 5th Grade Minimum Day - 4th/5th attend from 8:15am - 12:15pm
Tuesday, November 14: Ruby Bridges Day - meet at corner of Payne and Denker by the park at 7:40 a.m. - we'll walk at 7:45 a.m.
Tues/Wed/Thursday, November 14-16: Minimum Day for ALL grade levels - TK/K attend from 8:15-12:05; 1st-5th from 8:15-12:15
Friday, November 17: NO SCHOOL - Parent/Teacher Conferences
Monday, November 20 - Friday, November 24: NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break
Bell Schedule Reminders
For safety reasons, Students should not be dropped off before the gates open at 8:00am (9:00am on Wednesday) as we have no adult supervision until then.
Students who arrive later than 8:15am (9:15 on Wednesdays) will be marked tardy. The bells determine tardiness, not the gates being open.
REMINDER - VOLUNTEER CLEARANCE
If you want to volunteer on campus or on field trips this school year, please see the Volunteers page of the PUSD website to review the newly created PUSD Volunteer Handbook. After reading through the handbook, apply to be a volunteer for the 2023-24 school year by using the PUSD Raptor Volunteer Application link. Please note: TB clearance is required for all volunteers.
Volunteer Clearance process - if you think you MIGHT want to volunteer in a classroom, please complete this process - you'll be ready!
Questions? Please email volunteerclearance@pleasantonusd.net
CLOTHING DONATIONS FOR THE HEALTH OFFICE
We have been loaning out a lot of clothing to students who need a change of clothes for various reasons. We are running low and would appreciate any of the following gently worn clothing items to add to our supply:
SIZES TO FIT TK, K and 1st GRADE
Stretchy waist pants such as sweatpants
Tee shirt type tops, short and long sleeve
Zip up sweatshirts
Please drop off your donations at the Donlon Office. Thank you!
Message from the Health Office
TO: FIRST GRADE PARENTS/GUARDIANS
RE: REQUIRED HEALTH EXAMINATION DUE BY NOV. 8, 2023
The California Health and Safety Code (124105) requires that every child entering the First Grade in a CA school have a health check-up. A certificate, signed by a licensed healthcare provider, must be presented to the school to verify that your child has received the health check-up. Exams may be dated back to 6 months before they began Kindergarten through Nov. 8th, 2023.
Click here for a copy of the Health Exam form. In addition to the doctor's signature and stamp, please also sign the parent/guardian portion.Thank you!
Jamie Tompkins
Health Services Assistant
jtompkins@pleasantonusd.net
Donlon Yearbook
Yearbooks are 10% off until the end of October! Grab those memories and the discount while you can! Purchase your yearbook today: https://www.treering.com/purchase?PassCode=1015924981461695
Got photos? Share your photos for the yearbook! If you’ve got great photos from Fall Carnival, First Day of School, Book Fair & Ice Cream Social events, we’d like to see them! Upload your photos in the Donlon TreeRing website or email your photos at yearbook.donlonpta@gmail.com
If your family would like a yearbook, but is unable to purchase one, please send an email to Principal Gates.
Cubs in the Community! See what our Cubs are doing...
Featuring our Cubs and the things that they are doing outside of their school day. Please use this form to submit information (keep it short and sweet) and a photo if you'd like. Then look for your child in our next Digest update!
AAFN Dates 23-24 (5).pdfAfrican-American Family Network Dates for 23-24 School Year
African-American Family Network meets quarterly for the 23-24 school year. The dates and locations can be found on the flier at left. Quarterly African-American Family Network Meetings are the first and broadest touchpoint for African-American families in PUSD to build community in affinity space, have culturally relevant and specific activities that are social and fun, and opt into other district programs.
Birthdays & Other Celebrations
Each student receives a birthday pencil from Principal Gates or Vice Principal Tremain during the month of their birthday (and they get the special happy birthday serenade!). Other birthday celebrations for children should happen at home. No food (no candy) or drinks may be distributed to students, as student allergies can be life threatening. Thank you for your understanding.
Our School Plan for Student Achievement for 2023-2024 school year is attached here. Please take some time to review our goals for this school year! For a quick summary of our SPSA, click here.
School Site Council meets monthly to review data, consider options for improvement, and determine our focus for the school year. This important group of people represents and serves all aspects of our school community with 5 parents, 3 teachers, 1 non-teacher staff member, and our Principal. All are welcome to attend, and there is time allotted for comments from the community at the beginning of our meetings. Please see the Donlon Website for School Site Council meeting dates, agendas, and minutes.
Tuesday, November 14 is Ruby Bridges Day. To honor her, our community will leave at 7:45 from our meeting spot at the corner of Denker Dr. and Payne Rd. Wearing purple clothing is encouraged, and if you have a Ruby Bridges hat from last year, please wear it! We have a limited number of drawstring backpacks and pennant flags that will be given to students as they arrive. You can learn more about Ruby Bridges in the link below. Hope to see you there!
---Why isn’t there a day named after Ruby Bridges? - Maddie P
This initiative started with a question from a group of AAA School Safety Patrollers from Martin Elementary in South San Francisco. Nearly 60 years later, as they were hearing Ruby’s story for the first time, and learning about her courage and bravery, they thought there should be a day to commemorate the movement she started. These students took their idea to the State Legislature and today the Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day will be recognized by the state of California on November 14 each year. Like Ruby, they lead the way and set an example for all of us to follow.
Today, Schools like Martin Elementary and Ruby Bridges Elementary in Alameda, California and Ruby Bridges Elementary in Woodinville, Washington continue to honor Ruby’s legacy in their own way. The latest initiative being The Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. An annual day of dialogue to commemorate her historic steps. These students will continue the conversation and take part in their own forms of activism to bring an end to racism and all forms of bullying.